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Match round-up - First Division, Day 7

Atlético Madrid are the new leaders of the first division after they beat Valencia 0-2 on Sunday lunchtime. Caretaker coach Voro was still in charge of the Ches, albeit with new boss Prandelli watching from the stands, and he was looking to build on his record of two wins in a row. However the early chances fell to the visitors, Diego Alvés having to keep out Saúl and Griezmann, and with the first half coming to a close the Brazilian keeper saved a Griezmann penalty after Nani tripped Correa inside the area. Before that though Mario Suárez and Gayá had gone close for the locals, and just before the break Rodrigo shot straight at Oblak when free on goal. But after the restart Alves had to save again from Filipe Luis, and a few minutes later the keeper could only push out a shot from substitute Fernando Torres, and Griezmann laid the ball back for Griezmann to score. Soon afterwards Alves kept out a second spot kick from Gabi after Mario Suárez bundled over Griezmann in the area, a record 19 th penalty save, but with the match coming to an end Gameiro ran on to a long ball from Juanfran to score his side’s second, taking them above Real Madrid on goal average.

Later in the day Real Madrid themselves were held to a 1-1 scoreline by Eibar, their fourth draw in a row in all competitions. The Basque side had never scored against Madrid in their four previous meetings in the first division, but with only six minutes gone Fran Rico headed them in to the lead from Capa’s cross. A few minutes later Bale headed the equalizer from a Ronaldo centre, but the locals were unable to create any clear cut chances for the rest of the first half, and either side of half time Keylor Navas had to be on his toes to keep out Pedro León. Zidane brought on Morata and Nacho for Benzema and Varane at the break, and the Spanish international forward had a strike ruled out for offside, and was then booked for a blatant dive in the area. Bale steered a long header against the upright later on, but the nearest they came to scoring apart from that was when Mauro headed a corner back at his own keeper. A first ever point for the visitors against their illustrious hosts, and Madrid go in to the international break with a bit of a cloud hanging over their heads.

Barcelona came in to their game at Celta at the end of the evening knowing that a win would take them top, but in the end they were defeated 4-3 by the Galicians, and they finish the weekend down in fourth place. The Catalans dominated the first ten minutes, Sergio Alvarez having to save from Luis Suárez. But the locals came back, and midway through the first half Pione Sisto picked up a pass from Iago Aspas to open the scoring. Soon afterwards they were three goals up, Aspas picking up Hugo Mallo’s long clearance to run on and score, and Mathieu turning a Daniel Wass centre in to his own net just a minute or so later. Luis Enrique turned to Iniesta at the break, and with just under an hour gone he crossed in following a short corner for Piqué to head one back. Six minutes later Neymar made it two from the penalty spot after Radoja pulled down André Gomes, and Barça were back in it. However with twelve minutes to go a terrible mistake by Ter Stegen gifted a fourth to Pablo Hernández, and although Piqué headed a third for the visitors from a Denis Suárez cross, the goal came too late to change the result.

Villarreal stay in fifth place, level on points with Barcelona, after they drew 0-0 at Espanyol. Reyes fired a shot wide early on, and later in the first half Sansone hit the side netting, and Samu Castillejo got free only to come up against Diego López. Sergio Asenjo did well to tip a Hernán Pérez free kick over the bar after the restart, and Jonathan Dos Santos headed another chance just wide of the post at the other end. With the game coming to a close though Caicedo felt he should have had a penalty when Víctor Ruíz brought him down in the area, but the referee waved play on. The visitors keep up their unbeaten record in the league, but Espanyol find themselves down in the lower reaches of the table, level with Valencia in the ante-penultimate spot.

Athletic Bilbao are still sixth though despite losing 2-1 at Málaga. Aduríz gave Valverde’s side an early lead, a brilliant touch on from a long De Marcos clearance taking him on past his marker to score. However with ten minutes to go to the break Balenziaga was sent off for a retaliatory kick on Rosales, who was lucky himself only to be shown a yellow card for what was a waist high challenge on his opponent, and Valverde was forced to take off Williams to bring on a replacement for the full back. Even so the visitors held on until eight minutes from the end, when Sandro fired an angled shot across Iraizoz after Duda laid the ball back from the right. A minute later Duda himself scored the second after Juan Carlos played the ball back from the left by-line, and although Koné was also red carded near the end, Málaga had a much needed second win which takes them two points clear of the relegation spots. (02.10.16)

The top five teams all play on Sunday this weekend, and Sevilla took advantage to move up to second after a late 2-1 win over Alavés on a hot Saturday afternoon. There was a scare for the local fans when Edgar hit the post in the opening minutes, and although Kiko Femenía and Dani Torres had to leave the field with injuries, Deyverson and Edgar also went close for the visitors before the break. Otherwise however the Andalusians were on top, Pacheco keeping out Nasri before the interval, and the visiting keeper having to save from Ben Yedder, Mariano, Pareja, Ganso and Sarabia after the restart. Sevilla also lost Nasri and Vietto to injuries, and even referee Mateu Lahoz hobbled off and handed over his whistle to the fourth official, but with twenty minutes or so to go Ben Yedder finally broke through after Ganso cleverly slid the ball through to him with his heel. Even so though Laguardia levelled the scores after Theo’s corner was headed across to him, and it was not until the final minute that Ben Yedder got on the end of Vitolo’s cross to flick the ball under Pacheco for the winner.

Las Palmas stay in seventh spot after they came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Osasuna. Roberto Torres gave the Pamplona based side an early lead from the penalty spot after Boateng handled the ball in the area (for the second time in three games!). And although Michel Macedo, Vicente Gómez and Boateng all went close at the other end, Sergio León picked up a long punt out of defence to run on past Aythami and David García to make it two just before the break. After the restart though Vicente Gómez headed one back from Livaja’s cross, and after that the Canary Islanders pushed forward, Nauzet having to save from an Aythami header, and Boateng drilling a shot against the foot of the post. It appeared though that the locals were on track for their first win until the first minute of time added on, when David García scrambled the equalizer past the local keeper after a corner was deflected on to the far post.

The point takes Osasuna off the bottom of the table however after Granada were beaten 0-1 by Leganés in the lunchtime kick-off. Caretaker coach Lluis Planagumà was in charge of the Andalusians after Paco Jémez was fired earlier in the week, but it was the same old story, with the locals hardly troubling Serantes throughout the first half. Mantovani and Timor both failed to find the target for the visitors before the break, and Guerrero fired a shot at Ochoa when free on goal after the restart. Andreas Pereira did have a chance to put the home side ahead when he caught Serantes well off his line, but his attempted lob was easily caught by the keeper. And a few minutes later Leganés took the lead on a quick breakaway, Szymanowski picking up a pass from Robert Ibáñez to fire a shot across Ochoa. Krhin and Kravets did try their luck after that, but it was another home defeat, and with only two points from seven games they are already struggling. A third away win of the season though for Leganés, and they are now up into the top half of the table pending Sunday’s results.

Deportivo are a couple of points behind Asier Garitano’s side in twelfth spot after they beat Sporting Gijón 2-1 in the last match of the evening. The Galicians had the better chances in the opening minutes, Albentosa in particular causing problems for Cuéllar and his defence from a couple of corners, and with ten minutes to go to the break Celso Borges put them ahead following a long Çolak free kick, the Costa Rican midfielder reacting quicker than anyone to poke the ball in to the net after his first header was saved. Lux was tested for the first time by Víctor Rodríguez early on in the second half, but a few minutes later Sergio Alvarez made it all square with a near post header from a Moi Gómez corner. Cúellar made good saves after that from Bruno Gama and Andone, and it seemed that the Asturians had saved a point until emergency signing Ryan Babel came on to fire home the winner in stoppage time. (01.10.16)

Real Sociedad beat Betis 1-0 in the Friday night game, the result taking the Basque side above their opponents to ninth place pending the rest of the weekend fixtures. Honours were shared in a lively first half, Adán having to save from a couple of Willian José headers, and Joaquín firing a free kick just wide. Xabi Prieto lobbed a shot over the bar, and Alex Alegría and Rubén Castro both went close with half time approaching. With just over an hour on the clock however Carlos Vela got on the end of an Oyarzabal cross to poke the ball in on the far post, and Adán had to make important stops from Zurutuza and Oyarzabal to prevent the scoreline from increasing. (30.09.16)